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Iodine is a mineral that is added to the table salt and found in a variety of foods. It is important for good health and, fortunately, our bodies require it in minute quantities. Iodine is part of a hormone, thyroxin, which is responsible for maintaining a person’s metabolic rate. Iodine is the basic constituent part of the hormone of the thyreoid gland. On the whole, the amount of T3 and T4 correlates with the number of the iodine atoms. Therefore, without iodine the thyreoid gland cannot synthesize hormones and, therefore, cannot function. The role of iodine intake in both of these conditions was recognized in the 20th century, and since they are fully preventable through diet, public health advocates hope to entirely eliminate them at some point. Many things are natural sources of iodine. Saltwater fish and sea vegetables, for example, both contain abundant amounts of iodine. The material can also be found in plants grown on soil which is rich in sea materials, and in animals grazed on such soils. In some regions of Latvia, however, access to iodine is limited, and conditions like goiter, is realistic of iodine deficiency situations. In Latvia, some fear exists for manufacturers of food who use iodized salt. They are afraid that it will collide with changes of colour or taste of their products and will infringe on interests of the consumer. The main question for such problems is: is it a myth or the truth? In Latvia, starting using iodine salt in manufacturing, the most important question is: ‘What quantity of iodine remains after the technological processing?‘

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